Technology and pedagogical factors to be considered when building a resilience framework for integrating and using mobile technologies in South African rural schools

Abstract

The global spread of corona virus has had a significant impact on the basic education systems across the world. Nation states and various government departments had to invent means for remote schooling particularly to ensure continuation of learning amidst the pandemic. One of the widely used means of teaching and learning adopted across the world was the use of mobile technologies for remote learning and content sharing. This directly tested the teachers and learners’ resilience in using mobile technologies for teaching and learning. A scoping literature review was conducted to identify technology and pedagogical actors which affected the use of technology for teaching and learning during 2020 school closure. The findings of the literature review identify access to mobile technologies, pedagogical factors like effective usage of technology for teaching and learning, and connectivity as the main barriers for schools in rural areas. Findings from this exercise are used as factors to be considered when building a resilience framework for introducing and using mobile technologies in South African rural schools. The purpose of undertaking such a task is to complete a continuous evaluation of the need to develop a resilience framework and guidelines for the introduction and use of mobile technologies in South African rural schools.